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NEWS - Prisoners' Release a Gambit



Subject: NEWS - Prisoners' Release a Gambit for EU-ASEAN Meet

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Prisoners' Release a Gambit for EU-ASEAN Meet

           Inter Press Service
           23-FEB-99

           CHIANG MAI, Thailand, (Feb. 23) IPS - Burma's release of
           two political prisoners this month surprised many, but
           skeptics say it is little more than a public relations gambit
           ahead of a March summit between European and South-east
           Asian nations. 

           Ma Thida, a 34-year-old political prisoner and known
           short-story writer, was released from Insein prison on Feb
           11. Four days after her release, another writer, Nyi Pu Lay,
           was freed. 

           Dissidents and Burma watchers suggested they were freed
           as a part of the junta's campaign to lobby the European
           Union in its objections to Rangoon's participation at the
           EU-Association of South-east Asian Nations (ASEAN)
           summit in Berlin, Germany next month. 

           EU members had earlier asked Rangoon to make a human
           rights "gesture" before Burma could attend the Mar 29-30
           summit. 

           European governments said they would not sit down with
           Burmese Foreign Minister Win Aung because of the
           country's poor human rights record. 

           Win Aung recently traveled to four ASEAN countries --
           Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Singapore -- to lobby for
           Burma's participation in the Berlin summit. 

           In Singapore, Win Aung said: "The rest (ASEAN) will not go
           without us, without me. Do you think they will go there
           without me participating in that meeting? I don't think so." 

           But one Bangkok-based diplomat said the EU is not merely
           asking Burma to free political prisoners, but wants the
           Rangoon generals to open a meaningful political meetings
           with opposition group led by Nobel Peace Laureate Aung
           San Suu Kyi. 

           Clearly, however, Ma's release "is an important gesture to
           the EU showing Burma's seriousness to attend the Berlin
           summit", the diplomat said. 

           Skeptics add though the release of the two generals does
           not signify a change of heart by the junta -- given its
           continued crackdown on activists and the opposition

           National League for Democracy (NLD). 

           "No one is fooled by this. We know that Ma Thida is just a
           bargaining chip for Win Aung's trip (to Berlin)," said a
           Burmese activist based in Thailand. 

           Burma's participation in ASEAN's meetings with European
           governments has been a ticklish issue since Rangoon
           became a member in 1997. 

           In fact, Burma has replaced East Timor as the most
           troublesome human rights issue that ties up relations
           between ASEAN and European governments. 

           Complicated negotiations took place between ASEAN and
           European officials ahead of the Asia-Europe meeting in
           January, with European diplomats insisting the Burmese
           could attend but not speak. 

           Last week, the Burmese state media called EU members
           "neo- colonialists" for opposing its participation in the
Berlin
           meeting. 

           For their part, ASEAN members are caught between a
           realization of the deadweight that Rangoon is in ties with
           Europe and the belief that the EU cannot dictate who should
           or should not be part of the meeting because Burma is
           already an ASEAN member. 

           Like many of Burma's prominent artists and writers, Ma
           Thida joined Suu Kyi's NLD in 1988. A friend of Suu Kyi's,
           she organized on behalf of the party and gave speeches. 

           She was arrested in 1990, released, then re-arrested in
           1993 for distributing leaflets urging people to boycott the
           junta- organized National Convention. At the time of her
           arrest she was working as a surgeon at the Muslim Free
           Hospital. 

           Ma Thida's short stories, often about her poor patients and
           Burma's one-party, have been banned from publication since
           she was put in prison. 

           Nyi Pu Lay is also a short story writer whose articles began
           appearing in Burmese magazines in the early 1980s. 

           Independent human rights groups estimate that some 2,000
           prisoners remain in Burma's prisons, and activists say there
           are more than 200 women political prisoners. 

           Famous writer San San Nweh and her daughter, are both in
           Insein prison. Daw Kyi Kyi, a woman political prisoner now
           almost 80 years old, remains in detention. 

           Ma Sanda, a former political prisoner and now member of
           the All Burma Federation of Student Unions (Foreign Affairs'
           Committee) in exile, said: "What I know now is the (female)
           prisoners' health situation is getting worse. I heard that
many
           are sick and receive no proper medical treatment." 

           Ma Sanda worries about Ma Thida's health, saying "we
           knew that she was very sick in prison". 

           Some detainees have died in prison, or right after being
           freed. Mandalay monk U Yewata died at beginning of this
           year after he was unexpectedly released from prison. He had

           organized monks' massive protests in 1990s but was later
           forced to disrobe and was thrown into prison. 

           "When they (authorities) knew some important figures are
           dying (in prisons) they release them," Ma Sanda said, adding
           that the junta carefully and cleverly picked Ma Thida
           because she is a well- known figure internationally. 

           But while the Burmese junta recently released some
           well-known prisoners, it also handed down heavy sentences
           to young students and activists and persisted with efforts to
           break up political opposition. 

           Three weeks ago, some 200 students and activists were
           given lengthy jail terms. 

           Thet Win Aung, a student activist in his late 20s got
received
           a 52-year sentence. His close friend, Min Zin, now in exile,
           said after: "The sentence is longer than that South African
           President Nelson Mandela had to serve." 

           Burmese exiles say at least four student leaders were given
           jail terms of some 150 years between them. Their crime was
           distributing anti-junta leaflets, organizing protests, and
           contacting rebel groups along the Thai-Burma border. 

           The junta has also stepped up its anti-NLD campaign across
           Burma, forcing NLD offices to shut down and, in the
           provinces, intimidating members of the opposition party and
           forcing them to resign. 

           Said a former woman political prisoner: "The irony is that
           Burma is a police state where, regardless of whether one is
           in jail or not, almost everyone feels that they are
prisoners."